United welcome Everton to Old Trafford in the late kick off on Saturday in what, on paper, should be a fairly easy three points for Sir Alex Ferguson's side.

I mean no disrespect to Everton by this and on their day they're capable of beating anyone in the league but the fact of the matter is their injury list is huge and so many key players are missing.

Click to continue reading...

The juicy stuff continues to flow:

• Chelsea closing in on Aguero move?
  
• That would satisfy JT's desire for fresh blood.
  
• Dzeko looking to go to Milan?
  
• Agent denies Baptista/Pavlyuchenko swap if disappointing disgruntles.
  
• United, Tottenham eyeing Stuttgart talent.

Click to continue reading...

As if Rafa Benitez and Liverpool's woes couldn't get any worse after their 3-1 loss against Fulham on Tuesday, word came this week that his star duo Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres both might need surgery in the next month.

Torres has been ailed with a sports hernia injury, while Gerrard picked up a groin injury while playing for England last month.

Click to continue reading...

As if Rafa Benitez and Liverpool's woes couldn't get any worse after their 3-1 loss against Fulham on Saturday, word came this week that both his top stars, Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, might need surgery in the next month.

Torres has been dealing with a sports hernia injury, while Gerrard picked up a groin injury while playing for England last month.

Click to continue reading...

COS Columnist Jonny Carter continues to discuss the enigma that is Mr. Benitez. Part One can be seen by CLICKING HERE.

Join Our Facebook Fan Page for the Latest News/Rumours/Forums/Videos/WAGS/Funny Stuff/Features!

Part II...

I found it a little shameful that Rafa was content to excuse the current Liverpool form with an injury crisis.

Click to continue reading...

The Beauty: While I still believe Serie A probably owns the title of "League With The World's Hottest WAGs", La Liga makes an excellent case for itself too. Exhibit A: Lorena Bernal. In 1981, Lorena was born in Argentina. One year later, her family moved to Spain, and La Liga stars have been forever grateful.

Click to continue reading...

And now, all of a sudden, Moyes may have a new and unfamiliar problem: options. The days of untried unknowns making up the numbers on the bench may be nearing an end, the era when substitutions were predictable because the alternatives were so underwhelming is almost over. Everton still have three significant long-term absentees - Jagielka, Arteta and Phil Neville - but their squad is acquiring a depth. Click to continue reading...

He's back with a bang. Blog favorite Jimmy Bullard returned to action today for Hull's reserves and scored with a blistering 30 yard drive into the upper corner - and even after 9 months out with a horrible knee injury - it looks like he still has that goal-scoring touch.
We've always been big Bullard (5. Click to continue reading...

Unstoppable
While Wayne Rooney is also in the form of his career, we can't overlook the recent play of the unstoppable Didier Drogba.
No one can contain him at the moment. Perhaps his calf injury will be his undoing, but the man just looks unstoppable - he's physically dominating everyone in his path. Click to continue reading...

With rosters bound and chained until the new year and this obnoxious international break now in full swing, there seems no better time than the present to effuse an EPL preview, one which -- despite three to four rounds having been waged already -- will feature a table read grossly different than the one incumbent. Click to continue reading...

• Luka Modric breaks his leg - out at least six weeks. Will Harry go in for Kranjcar at Portsmouth? Â [USA Today]

• Despite the win, Everton clearly miss Mikel Arteta. When he returns, the team should get back to being a very tough side to beat [Unprofessional Foul]

• Vote for your favorite Goal of the Week [In the Stands]

• Wes Brown called into England squad.

Click to continue reading...

It only took nearly the entire summer transfer window, but at last David Moyes has finally landed his first new signing. Diniyar Bilyaletdinov has agreed to personal terms and completed a medical and will join the Toffees as soon as his work permit is approved. Bilyaletdinov moves to Everton from Lokomotiv Moscow for an undisclosed fee, believed to be somewhere in the vicinity of £10m. Click to continue reading...

As a deal is about to be struck for the transfer of Joleon Lescott to Manchester City, the background to this transfer makes one reflect on the motives of the modern day footballer. Last season Everton finished fifth while City finished tenth. City are certainly a better team this season but is there really that much difference between the sides to support Lescott for wanting to leave Everton for footballing reasons?

Click to continue reading...

Very short of time this morning so I'll be very brief suffice to say I'm over-excited today. The talking is over, the excessive analysis of strengths and weaknesses is done, and the usual wild media predictions have been made (and guess what half of them are tipping Liverpool for the title, as they do every year).

Click to continue reading...

With the Premier League about to spark into life this weekend, COS reporter Adam Hennessey casts his eye over the players he feels will have an impact this coming season, but players who readers may not know much about.

With the current 'will he, wont he' debate surrounding Joleon Lescott's potential move from Everton to Manchester City, many people are overlooking the other talent at Goodison Park, and whilst they are recognised for players like Lescott, Cahill, Arteta and Yakubu.

Click to continue reading...

Arguments for both sides can be made.

It is a fascinating story but if we all know David Moyes, it is this, he is a man of principles. I think he is one of those vastly under rated managers who has proven both tough and shrewd with his signings. Today, Moyes rejected City's offer for Lescott.

Click to continue reading...

Something to read while you enjoy Mikel Arteta's Tweet dissing P-Nev... (assuming it's really him of course) Top 10 Premier League strike partnerships (In the Stands) Steve Thompson loves those PDX microbrews (OregonLive) Predicting the future (Three Match Ban) The return of the transfer window shaman (Studs up) Don't mess with York City players (Unprofessional Foul) San Francisco takes the 2009 Street [. Click to continue reading...

Possibly the best attribute a player in your team can have is to be a penalty taker. But until the season is underway, it can also be one of the hardest things to tie down. Preseason games are indicators only, and the presence or absence of something happening in a preseason game does not indicate we should take that as a given either. Click to continue reading...

Injuries never come at a good time for a footballer, but Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta has revealed the serious knee injury he suffered last February came at the worst possible time.
The former Rangers and Real Sociedad man told the local press in Liverpool that he had been told he was set for a first call-up to the Spanish national side for the friendly with England, just days before he crumpled to the St James' Park turf in agony. Click to continue reading...

Injuries never come at a good time for a footballer, but Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta has revealed the serious knee injury he suffered last February came at the worst possible time.

The former Rangers and Real Sociedad man told the local press in Liverpool that he had been told he was set for a first call-up to the Spanish national side for the friendly with England, just days before he crumpled to the St James' Park turf in agony.

Click to continue reading...

Anyone else getting a little footy-wedding weary? What are we up to now, sixty, seventy-thousand already this summer?

Perhaps we're feeling the strain because one of our favourite guys tied the knot over the weekend. Xabi Alonso married his girlfriend Nagore Aramburu, who just so happens to be the mother of his adorable son, Jon.

Click to continue reading...

Anyone else getting a little footy-wedding weary? What are we up to now, sixty, seventy-thousand already this summer?

Perhaps we're feeling the strain because one of our favourite guys tied the knot over the weekend. Xabi Alonso married his girlfriend Nagore Aramburu, who just so happens to be the mother of his adorable son, Jon.

Click to continue reading...

While the summer months toil away and the transfer rumors get even more boring (or exciting if you're a Football Manager fan), football fans around the world start to get excited for their club's upcoming season. Will your club succeed? Will they fail? Will your star player remain healthy? Who will Joey Barton hit next?

Click to continue reading...

He conquered European champions Spain with two delicate touches of his right foot, then came within a whisper of masterminding the downfall of world football's Goliath mighty, magnificent Brazil -Â in the final of the Confederations Cup. So who is this footballing Adonis? Argentina's beloved Leo Messi?

Click to continue reading...

Hats off to SA. They fought hard through Steven Pienaar and Tiko Modise controlling the midfield for large parts of the game and creating a number of chances. They came closest to scoring in the 21st minute through Aaron Mokoena who was unable to keep his header down after Tiko Modise floated a cross allowing enough time for the South African captain to sneak up behind Luisao.

Click to continue reading...

Chringle, the undisputed king of reader-nominated Shit Lookalikes, is back in town and he hasn't lost his magic touch. More Chringle classics: Peter Crouch and the Special K logo Mikel Arteta and Scott Baio Sulley Muntari and a puffer...

Click to continue reading...

Tough opening day fixture against Mikael Arteta, Marouane Fellaini, and company. Two weeks later, Arsenal meet Man Utd. Then comes new look Man City.

January and the first part of February is hair raising. We have Everton, Bolton, and Aston Villa (which always seems to do well against the Gunners).

Click to continue reading...

The all new rumour reporting article system is in full effect! The Rumour MIKEL ARTETA and Gareth Barry are the two men at the top of Harry Redknapp's summer wish-list. And that means midfielder Jermaine Jenas and strikers Darren Bent and Roman Pavlyuchenko could be shown the door at Spurs. thelondonsport understands Tottenham . Click to continue reading...

1. Opposition
Love them or hate them, Everton have done a fine job in securing European football for another season and David Moyes has again proven what a good manager he is.
A third consecutive top six finish plus an FA Cup Final appearance is assured. Combine this with long-term injuries to key-players such as Mikel Arteta and Yakubu, and this constitutes a great campaign for any team outside the top 4. Click to continue reading...

All of us neutrals were delighted to see Everton beat United at Wembley on Sunday. Not because we hate United...although it's fair to say the majority of non-United fans feel a certain contempt towards the Red's, mainly because of their domination in the English league - and their outspoken manager. But it wasn't because of that; it was because we were glad to see a team from outside the ‘top four' make it into a final of the cup. Click to continue reading...

Thi blog first appeared as a guest post at www.just-football.com A site well worth checking out.
The impressive level of consistency shown by Everton over the past few months has set them well on their way to European qualification for the third season in a row.

Couple that with Aston Villa's sorry slump and there is now just one point between the two sides after 32 games played, meaning a second consecutive fifth place finish is now looking like a good bet for David Moyes' men.

Click to continue reading...

It may be a cliche, but if it's true that "Defense wins championships," than Manchester United fans should continue to worry. With Rio Ferdinand, Wes Brown and Jonny Evans all injured, Sir Alex Ferguson will once again rely on utility man John O'Shea and over-the-hill Gary Neville as United look to remain a step ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea in the title race. Click to continue reading...

The Citizens are willing to offer the Toffees £25 million to acquire the highly-rated duo Mikel Arteta and Joleon Lescott. According to a report in The Liverpool Daily Post, Manchester City have targeted an end-of-season swoop for Everton duo Mikel Arteta and Joleon Lescott. As Toffees manager David Moyes is likely to want to keep the pair, [. Click to continue reading...

1. Two new defencive partnerships looked shaky. John Terry was partnered by Phil Jagielka in the first half and Matthew Upson in the second, and while Jagielka is the form defender in the Premier League and Upson is a solid and experienced pro, the centre of the English defence looked shaky on a few occasions. Click to continue reading...

I don't know about you, but I am genuinely excited about the rest of the Premier League season. Unlike other seasons, it's not just the title race that is exciting me. Instead, it's the whole table. After the closing of the January transfer window, I can't help but take a look at the battle going on between Aston Villa, Arsenal, and Everton. Click to continue reading...